HOUSE BILL REPORT

ESB 5226

BYSenators Saling, Bauer, Patterson and Stratton

Creating a graduate teacher fellowship pilot program.

House Committe on Higher Education

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments.  (14)

      Signed by Representatives Jacobsen, Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Van Luven, Ranking Republican Member; Basich, Doty, Fraser, Heavey, Inslee, Jesernig, Miller, H. Myers, Prince, Rector and Wood.

House Staff:Susan Hosch (786-7120)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION MARCH 29, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Washington has two programs designed to attract outstanding students into the teaching profession.  Needy students selected to participate in the Math/Science Teacher Loan Program receive $2,500 per year, up to a maximum of $10,000. Eligible students must be enrolled in a course of study that will lead to a degree in teacher education in a field of mathematics or science. Certificated teachers who are seeking an additional degree in math or science are also eligible to participate if they are needy and are enrolled for 10 or more credit hours.

Participants in the Future Teachers Conditional Scholarship Program receive $3,000 per year, for a maximum of five years.  These students must be enrolled in a program that will permit them to receive either initial teaching certification or an additional endorsement.

In both programs, participants must repay the amounts they receive, with interest, unless they teach for 10 years in the public schools of the state. Students who teach receive one year of the required repayment forgiven for each year that they teach.

The State Board of Education, and the Higher Education Coordinating Board have each recommended the creation of new graduate fellowship programs to serve students who are seeking either an initial or professional teaching certificate.  In addition, both education boards recommended that one of the first programs to be created should be the Governor's Graduate Fellowship for the Master's in Teaching Program.  The program would be designed to serve students, new to the field of education, who are enrolled in masters in teaching programs.  The boards also recommended the creation of the Governor's Graduate Fellowship for Teachers Program.  This program would be designed to support teachers who are returning to graduate school to acquire an approved masters degree for professional certification.

The boards recommended that both programs begin during the second year of the 1989-91 biennium, with 100 students in each program receiving $15,000 for a one-year period. The recommended appropriation was $3,000,000.  The Governor has joined with the education boards to request the creation of at least one fellowship program to assist teachers and principals in their pursuit of a master's degree.  The governor recommended that $2,100,000 be appropriated during the 1989-91 biennium to fund the program.

SUMMARY:

BILL AS AMENDED:  The Governor's Graduate Teacher Fellowship Program is created.  The program will be designed to provide eligible students with financial assistance while they pursue a master's degree leading to an initial or professional teaching certificate.  Other program goals include:  increasing the number of underrepresented minorities who become teachers, rewarding scholastic and professional achievement, and providing an incentive for students who are committed to becoming teachers.

The program will be administered by the Higher Education Coordinating Board.  The Board's responsibilities include monitoring and evaluating the program. The Board will appoint an advisory committee to help establish program guidelines, to develop criteria for student eligibility and candidate selections, and to select fellowship recipients.  Some student eligibility criteria is outlined in the bill.

Students attending public colleges and universities operated by the state are eligible to participate.  Students attending either accredited independent institutions, or branches of separately accredited, out-of-state, public institutions, may also participate if the institution's accrediting association is recognized by the Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Each fellowship award will apply to one year of attendance at an eligible college or university.  Each recipient is limited to one award, totaling $15,000.  Recipients must agree to enroll as full-time graduate students, except in very special circumstances.  When the Board permits a recipient to register on a part-time basis, a partial award may be granted. Use of the fellowship will be subject to requirements and standards established by the institution that the student is attending.

Students incur an obligation to repay the fellowship, with interest, unless they teach in the state's public or private schools for five years after receiving the fellowship. The terms of repayment will be consistent with terms of the federal guaranteed loan program, excepting deferrals for special circumstances, which will be left to the Board's discretion.

Students who decide not to teach will have ten years to repay the fellowship.  Twice the principal and interest for each payment will be forgiven for each payment period in which the participant teaches.  Should the participant stop teaching before his or her obligation is completed, the payments on the unsatisfied portion of the principal and interest will begin during the next payment period and continue until the repayment obligation is satisfied.

The Board is responsible for the collection, servicing and forgiveness of the repayments.  Any collection of the repayments will be performed by entities approved by the Washington Student Loan Guarantee Association.

Beginning in the 1990-91 academic year, if funds are appropriated, up to 100 fellowships will be available to eligible graduate students enrolled in a master's in teaching degree program.  Up to 150 fellowships will be made available to eligible students enrolled in an approved master's degree program.

The program will expire on June 30, 1995.

AMENDED BILL COMPARED TO ENGROSSED: Students incur an obligation to repay the fellowship, with interest, unless they teach in the public or private schools of the state for five years after receiving the fellowship.  Repayment terms are outlined. Under very special circumstances, students are permitted to enroll in these master's programs on a part-time basis, and to receive partial awards for that purpose.  No requirement is included that half the recipients be pursuing a degree leading to initial certification and half the recipients be pursuing a degree leading to professional certification.  Finally, the program will expire on June 30, 1995, rather than on July 1, 1993.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Ronn Robinson, Office of the Governor.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    This program was requested by the Governor in order to attract exemplary students into the teaching profession.  The fellowships will help new teachers meet the requirement that they earn a master's degree in order to obtain professional certification.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.